The Best Snare Drum Heads for Jazz (2024)
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Evans Calftone drum head played with brushes.
The snare drum plays a vital role in the jazz drum kit, and jazz music, providing the crisp, dynamic and articulate sounds that define the genre. Choosing the right snare drum heads is essential for achieving your perfect jazz sound: heads have a huge impact on a drum’s sound.
But which snare heads do jazz drummers use? Which snare drum head should you use for jazz? And how do you choose the right snare drum head?
In this guide, we'll dive into the top choices of snare drum heads offered by renowned manufacturers like Remo, Aquarian and Evans.
For our review of the best drum heads available for jazz drummers, read on starting with a quick comparison here.
At the end of this article is a short guide on how to choose drum heads for jazz, or skip on to our selection here.
At a glance: the best snare heads for jazz
Remo Ambassador Coated | Check price on Amazon
Aquarian American Vintage | Check price on Guitar Center
Evans UV1 | Check price on Amazon
Evans G1 | Check price on Amazon
Evans Calftone | Check price on Amazon
Check out our guide on how to choose the right drum heads for a closer look at what to consider when choosing the right drum skin for different contexts.
Snare heads for jazz compared
| Name | Features | Sound | Durability | Great for |
| Remo Ambassador Coated | Single ply, vintage and Fiberskyn finishes available | Warm, open, balanced | Low | Versatility, world's most popular drum head |
| Aquarian American Vintage | Single ply synthetic animal skin, wider profile for vintage drums | Warm, vintage | Med | Vintage drum lovers |
| Evans UV1 | Single ply, durable UV coating | Consistent, sensitive, brush-swoosh-ready | High | Durability, modern, even sound, out of the box ready for brushes |
| Evans G1 | 10mm single ply, level 360 technology | Balanced: warm, bright, focussed and consistent, easy to tune | Med | Modern and balanced, versatile but expressive. Good all rounder |
| Evans Calftone | 12mm Single ply synthetic animal skin, level 360 technology | Rich, full and warm, less sharp attack | Med | Vintage drum lovers with modern kits |
Remo Ambassador Coated
The Remo Ambassador Coated snare head is a classic choice for jazz drummers. In fact Remo tell us this is the most popular drum head in the world. Remo Coated Ambassadors are one of the most versatile drum heads around.
With a warm and open but balanced sound, making it an excellent option for intricate snare work and brush playing.
Ambassadors are single ply, which makes them responsive but not as durable or controlled as double-ply heads. However for typical jazz applications single ply heads are often drummers’ choice.
Remo also offer a “Vintage” version of the Ambassador which is double ply. This creates slightly more warmth and depth to the head.
As with many of their heads, Remo also offer a Fiberskyn version. Fiberskyn is Remo’s synthetic animal skin mimic material. The Fiberskyn heads have more definition making stick playing cut through with a darker, vintage edge, but can still be played with brushes.
Aquarian American Vintage
The Aquarian American Vintage series are coated heads with a synthetic calf skin appearance and sound profile.
These types of snare drum heads are popular with jazz drummers due to their warm, vintage tone.
While Remo and Evans offer similar vintage or synthetic animal skin heads, a key feature of the Aquarian heads is they sit slightly wider on the drum. This is primarily a design feature to account for the slightly thicker profile of genuinely vintage drum shells, making them easier to fit.
However these will also fit to a modern kit to achieve a vintage sound with sticks or brushes.
Evans UV1
Evans UV drum heads use a cured coating which Evans claim is the most consistently applied coating ever seen on a drumhead. This contributes to an even sound across the head.
One of the main characteristics of the UV coating is that it is extremely durable. this may be less of a concern for jazz players than rockers, but it is good to have the security of knowing your heads are less likely to break mid-gig. It also means they are less likely to chip, so they will last longer.
The texture makes these heads extremely responsive and sensitive for brush playing. As we have described in our article on preparing new drum heads, sometimes drummers like to sand down a head before playing with brushes. This isn’t necessary with Evans UV heads as they come with a smooth brush-ready finish out of the box.
The UV1s are single-ply, which is often favoured by jazz drummers, however there is a double-ply alternative: the UV2.
Evans G1
Evans G1 drumheads are comparable to Remo Ambassadors. They are single-ply and 10mm thick which generate a bright tone with balanced overtones and sustain, and relatively good durability for a single-ply head.
A G1 snare head will give you an expressive sound with warmth, focus and depth, and are easy to tune in a wide range.
These drumheads also feature Evans’ Level 360 Technology which creates a consistent tone.
Evans Calftone
Evans Calftone drum heads are designed to mimic calfskin drum skins in terms of appearance and some of the sound characteristics. This makes them a great choice for those wanting a warm vintage sound often heard in jazz. They don’t have the same snap as a modern head such as the Ambassador but produce a rich and full tone.
Evans Calftones are single-ply, 12 millimetres thick and come with Evans’ Level 360 Technology for a consistent tone. These heads can make a vintage kit sing and or add a vintage sound and look to modern drums.
What to look for in a drum head for jazz
Evans Calftone drum head played with brushes.
When choosing a snare drum head for jazz drummers usually look for these key aspects that complement the music.
A sensitive and responsive head that picks up nuances
Natural ring and overtones that come off the head and add character
Warm tones and focussed attack that cuts through the band
A smooth and distinguishable brush swoosh
The key features to achieve this typically include:
Single-ply
Relatively thin
A coating that picks up the brush sound
Sometimes this takes extra preparation, as we describe in our article on how to prepare a drum head.
The heads we’ve selected here in our top choices of snare drum heads for jazz are great examples of these features.
What size snare drums do jazz drummers use?
Jazz drummers use a range of different sizes depending on the effect they are looking for. However the most common is a 5.5inch deep by 14 inch diameter drum. Therefore a 14 inch snare head would be suitable if you have this type of snare drum.
Summary
In the world of jazz drumming, the choice of drum heads is a crucial factor in defining your sound.
Whether you're aiming for the classic warm tones of traditional jazz, looking for the perfect head for playing drums with brushes, or pushing the boundaries with contemporary jazz styles, the right drum heads can help you achieve the perfect groove.
The major drum head brands offer heads for a range of tastes and contexts within the jazz genre.
For those looking for balance, versatility and a degree more durability go for the Remo Ambassador or Evans G1.
For those looking for increased durability and consistent tone go for the Evans UV1.
For those looking for that vintage look, sound and feel choose one of the synthetic animal skin options such as a Remo Fiberskyn or Evans Calftone.
If you have genuinely vintage drums (rather than modern vintage) Aquarian American Vintage may be the best way to go to get a good fit for your shells.
Either way the heads on this list should have you covered for achieving your own jazz sound.
For more on achieving the perfect jazz sound check out our guide to beginner and intermediate jazz drum kits, and our guide to the best drum books for learning jazz. Also see our guide to the best drum heads for rock.
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